The customary tradeoff between active (powered) pallet shippers and passive designs is that the former perform better but cost more, while the latter offer convenience and lower cost, but questionable performance. Biopharma companies have traditionally favored the active containers, especially for high-value biologics, for these reasons. But Sonoco ThermoSafe wants the industry to look more closely at the latest passive designs, as evidenced by the newly introduced LD7 Quarter PMC (QPMC) unit.

In a video podcast, Ben VanderPlas, global product manager at Sonoso ThermoSafe, demonstrates the design and engineering elements of the QPMC. Interlocking walls are positioned on the LD7 base adn ultimately banded together to form a tight seal. Refrigerant bricks are placed at the top of the unit, and a proprietary airflow design enables convective circulation throughout the container’s interior. Cold chain performance closely matches active containers. The unit is lighter than comparable active containers, and when availabiity, leasing costs and air freight rates are factored in, provides a substantialy more economical option for shippers.